Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has refused to concur with the authorities at Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (DMTCL) which recently cancelled bids for two stretches of metro rail construction work on a second line in the Bangladesh capital.
In a strong-worded letter to DMTCL Project Director Mohammad Aftab Hossain Khan on November 9, JICA’s senior representative in Dhaka, Yoshida Hiroshi, said that the donor organisation was disappointed with DMTCL’s “proposal for cancellation of bidding for Contract CP-05 and CP-02” and that it would “not concur any such requests”.
Hiroshi’s letter, accessed by Northeast News, acknowledged receiving two letters written by Khan on November 2 and 3, requesting JICA’s concurrence “for the cancellation of all bids under Contract Packages CP-05 and CP-02, respectively, on the grounds that the evaluated bid prices significantly exceed the allocations specified in the DPP (Development Project Proposal).
Earlier, on November 4, Bangladeshi media reports indicated that DMTCL’s decision to cancel the bids for the two segments arose following a board meeting of the project company, when there were intense deliberations on the cost, timelines and tender process for CP-05 and CP-02.
Indian multinational construction company Larsen & Toubro had earlier built a segment for the first metro line that has been operational between Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport and Purbachal Terminal-Kamalapur.
The operational and existing metro line (MRT Line 6) stretches over a distance of 20.1 kms with 16 stations.
Commercial operations of Phase-1 commenced upon achievement of this milestone.
MRT Lines 1 and 5 are under construction. However, MRT Lines 2 and 4 are in the planning stage.
Expressing “reservations regarding DMTCL’s proposal to cancel the bidding process for CP-05 and CP-02 at this stage”, JICA reminded the project executing company that it has “already completed both the technical and financial evaluations and concluded that the lowest evaluated bids for both the packages were substantially responsive, competitive and acceptable”.
The Japanese agency said that “based on DMTCL’s formal requests, JICA had already provided concurrence at various stages in accordance with the signed Loan Agreement”. The concurrence of the bid documents for CP-05 and CP-02 was given by JICA on June 22, 2023, and February 24, 2024, respectively.
Likewise, JICA gave concurrence for technical bid evaluation on April 9 for CP05 and on November 27, 2024, for CP-02.
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Concurrence was accorded on price bid evaluation (for CP-05) on September 4, 2025, and for CP-02 on February 20, 2025.
Concurrence was also given for draft contract documents (for CP-05) on May 12, 2025, and for CP-02 on May 21, 2025.
“These concurrences were issued based on the shared understanding that due process had been followed and that the evaluated bid prices reflected fair and competitive outcome.
Under such circumstances, the rejection of all bids shall be in breach of Section 5.10 of the JICA Procurement Guidelines, which is legally binding guidelines as per the Loan Agreement,” Hiroshi says in his letter.
It goes on to add that “based on the above, we regret to inform you that DMTCL’s proposal for cancellation of bidding for Contract CP-05 and CP-02 is disappointing and JICA will not concur any such requests”.
